Self-assembly of FUS through its low-complexity domain contributes to neurodegeneration.

Aggregation of fused in sarcoma (FUS) protein, and mutations in FUS gene, are causative to a range of neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia. To gain insights into the molecular mechanism whereby FUS causes neurodegeneration, we generated transgenic Drosophila melanogaster overexpressing human FUS in the photoreceptor neurons, which exhibited mild retinal degeneration. Expression of familial ALS-mutant FUS aggravated the degeneration, which was associated with an increase in cytoplasmic localization of FUS. A carboxy-terminally truncated R495X mutant FUS also was localized in cytoplasm, whereas the degenerative phenotype was diminished. Double expression of R495X and wild-type FUS dramatically exacerbated degeneration, sequestrating wild-type FUS into cytoplasmic aggregates. Notably, replacement of all tyrosine residues within the low-complexity domain, which abolished self-assembly of FUS, completely eliminated the degenerative phenotypes. Taken together, we propose that self-assembly of FUS through its low-complexity domain contributes to FUS-induced neurodegeneration.

The Janus kinase inhibitor JTE-052 improves skin barrier function through suppressing signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Barrier disruption and the resulting continuous exposure to allergens are presumed to be responsible for the development of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, the mechanism through which skin barrier function is disrupted in patients with AD remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: Taking into account the fact that the TH2 milieu impairs keratinocyte terminal differentiation, we sought to clarify our hypothesis that the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway plays a critical role in skin barrier function and can be a therapeutic target for AD. METHODS: We analyzed the mechanism of keratinocyte differentiation using a microarray and small interfering RNA targeting STATs. We studied the effect of the JAK inhibitor JTE-052 on keratinocyte differentiation using the human skin equivalent model and normal human epidermal keratinocytes. We applied topical JAK inhibitor onto NC/Nga mice, dry skin model mice, and human skin grafted to immunocompromised mice. RESULTS: IL-4 and IL-13 downregulated genes involved in keratinocyte differentiation. STAT3 and STAT6 are involved in keratinocyte differentiation and chemokine production by keratinocytes, respectively. Topical application of the JAK inhibitor suppressed STAT3 activation and improved skin barrier function, permitting increases in levels of terminal differentiation proteins, such as filaggrin, and natural moisturizing factors in models of AD and dry skin and in human skin. CONCLUSION: STAT3 signaling is a key element that regulates keratinocyte differentiation. The JAK inhibitor can be a new therapeutic tool for the treatment of disrupted barrier function in patients with AD.

RNA binding mediates neurotoxicity in the transgenic Drosophila model of TDP-43 proteinopathy.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive and selective loss of motor neurons. The discovery of mutations in the gene encoding an RNA-binding protein, TAR DNA-binding protein of 43 kD (TDP-43), in familial ALS, strongly implicated abnormalities in RNA processing in the pathogenesis of ALS, although the mechanisms whereby TDP-43 leads to neurodegeneration remain elusive. To clarify the mechanism of degeneration caused by TDP-43, we generated transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing a series of systematically modified human TDP-43 genes in the retinal photoreceptor neurons. Overexpression of wild-type TDP-43 resulted in vacuolar degeneration of the photoreceptor neurons associated with thinning of the retina, which was significantly exacerbated by mutations of TDP-43 linked to familial ALS or disrupting its nuclear localization signal (NLS). Remarkably, these degenerative phenotypes were completely normalized by addition of a mutation or deletion of the RNA recognition motif that abolishes the RNA binding ability of TDP-43. Altogether, our results suggest that RNA binding is key to the neurodegeneration caused by overexpression of TDP-43, and that abnormalities in RNA processing may be crucial to the pathogenesis of TDP-43 proteinopathy.

Palmitoylation of ULK1 by ZDHHC13 plays a crucial role in autophagy.

Autophagy is a highly conserved process from yeast to mammals in which intracellular materials are engulfed by a double-membrane organelle called autophagosome and degrading materials by fusing with the lysosome. The process of autophagy is regulated by sequential recruitment and function of autophagy-related (Atg) proteins. Genetic hierarchical analyses show that the ULK1 complex comprised of ULK1-FIP200-ATG13-ATG101 translocating from the cytosol to autophagosome formation sites as a most upstream ATG factor; this translocation is critical in autophagy initiation. However, how this translocation occurs remains unclear. Here, we show that ULK1 is palmitoylated by palmitoyltransferase ZDHHC13 and translocated to the autophagosome formation site upon autophagy induction. We find that the ULK1 palmitoylation is required for autophagy initiation. Moreover, the ULK1 palmitoylated enhances the phosphorylation of ATG14L, which is required for activating PI3-Kinase and producing phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate, one of the autophagosome membrane's lipids. Our results reveal how the most upstream ULK1 complex translocates to the autophagosome formation sites during autophagy.